


Writing on the Wall

by pherryt



Series: Bucky Barnes Bingo [11]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pacific Rim, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Canon Divergent AU, Giant Robots, M/M, Nerd!Bucky, Pacific Rim AU, Sci Fi AU, drift compatible, sci fi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 16:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21148688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pherryt/pseuds/pherryt
Summary: Tony saw the writing on the wall in New York, and no, it wan't Graffiti. So when the world births a monster too big for even the Avengers to take on, he's prepared.Now he just needs a couple of compatible pilots...





	Writing on the Wall

**Author's Note:**

> This is a square i didn't think i would fill. because it was super specific and I've only seen Pacific Rim ONCE. years ago. but then i had an idea and, well, here we are.
> 
> also, titles are hard. Drift Compatible seemed too... generic. but it's what i kept going back to, for sure.

Everything changed after New York.

Of course, that was inevitable.

Throughout history, extraordinary humans always cropped up, but it was always singly, a blip in the history books, a legend. Spoken of, debated, scoffed at. Impossible stories.

Until Iron Man. Iron Man seemed to open a floodgate by which others were braving the light. Even still, when New York happened, there were still too few of them to face the enemies that might be coming. Who knew when the next extraordinary human would appear? Who knew if when they did, if they woud play well with others?

The Avengers very nearly hadn’t. sure, that had been in part to Loki and to Loki’s scepter, but there had been enough ego’s to abound even without it.

So to Tony, it had become abundantly, _appallingly_ clear that even with Gods and Super Soldiers on the team, if something _bigger _than the Chitauri and their Behemoth appeared on the horizon, well, they just weren’t prepared. Thor couldn’t stay on Midgard indefinitely; Banner had his own issues that led to out of contact sabbaticals. That left one Super Soldier and three humans - two of which were technically still in the employ of SHIELD and often doing undercover work.

They were scattered and not ready for what the universe could possibly throw at them.

And what’s a billionaire tech genius going to do about that?

Well, as a matter of fact, Tony had some ideas. Some very _big _ideas.

He spent _years _working them in a special lab upstate. Very secluded. A lot of grounds – which he would need. During that time, things happened. SHIELD fell, Ultron failed, wounds were reopened and – with a great deal of time and trouble – healed. Other heroes came out of the woodwork – Falcon, Black Panther, Spiderman and more.

But if something really big – truly big and terrible – came through, it still might not be enough.

With his failure with Ultron, Tony hesitated, setting the work aside for a long, long time. Who was he to say he knew best? He was a genius, but apparently he’d done something wrong. Had made the wrong judgement call… and yet…

What if they needed what he was making and he finished too late?

There was a human component, at least, for this to work, he reassured himself. Two, in fact. Two people in such perfect harmony… it wouldn’t be like Ultron, or Project Insight. He didn’t have to tell anybody about them – until they were needed.

They didn’t have to become weapons against the world, not if he was careful. So Tony finished the prototype – and just in time.

When the first monster appeared from the ocean, the world was in chaos, calling for their heroes, but even the heroes looked at the gigantic creature rising from the depths in horror. They were twenty times the size of the Chitauri Behemoths.

Could even the _Hulk _take out one of these?

Banner shook his head. “I don’t really think so and… even so, Hulk and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”

Steve glared ahead defiantly. “Whether we can or not, we’ve gotta try.”

“Sure, sure,” Tony said. “But we don’t have to be stupid about it. I actually have something that might work. The problem was finding two compatible people to pilot it.”

“We don’t exactly have much time for science experiments,” Sam pointed out.

“No worries, birdbrain,” Tony smirked. “Already did all our tests – among all of you, because you’re the only ones I trusted with this, and four of you stood out from the rest.”

“Only four?” someone muttered.

“Hey, look, we’re a team, but even I gotta admit, as much as we all want the same thing, we’re a lot of egos and some of us find it a little harder to play well with others. Besides, JARVIS and I tested for two things and we needed the highest scores across both, so if you rated low on one and high on the other…” Tony wavered his had from side to side. “Sorry, but you didn’t cut it.”

Tony turned to Steve as Bucky watched. He wasn’t surprised that Steve was the best choice.

“Cap, your drift compatibility with just about anyone on this team was off the charts. Which, yeah, team leader and all, makes a hell of a lot of sense.”

Steve went to demure, but Tony had already moved on, looking at Bucky. “Barnes, though, had the highest scores on actually being able to pilot damn thing. His drift, however, is very limited.”

Beaming, Steve turned to Buck. “Me and you, Buck, just like – “

“Nuh uh,” Tony said. “Don’t get me wrong. You two scored good, but not the best.”

Steve frowned, then glanced at Nat. before he could finish opening his mouth, Tony grinned.

“Not our little spider either. In fact, Barnes matched with_ exactly _three people. In reverse order – Widow, Cap and last but apparently not least – our very own Hawkeye.”

Barnes blinked, Clint’s mouth dropped open and the rest of the group dissolved into various shouts of surprise and disbelief. It was clear they’d expected Bucky to pair with Steve, after all, as close as they were. Maybe Widow, with their history. And they _had_ gotten close, obviously.

But…

_“Hawkeye?” _Was the word dropping from everybody’s mouths and echoing about the room.

Hawkeye looked wounded. “Thanks a lot, guys,” he muttered.

In that instant, Bucky wanted to cram everybody’s hurtful disbelief right back down their traitorous throats. Hawkeye was their _teamma_te! They should be a lot more supportive of him. Especially since he was actually, y’know, pretty fucking good. He wouldn’t be an Avenger otherwise. Bucky opened his mouth -

Tony clapped his hands together. “No time for that now. Cap, you guys stall that thing and start working on a backup plan. Just in case this doesn’t work. Not that it won’t, I’m a genius. Barnes, Barton, I’m about to give you two an express ride.”

The building that Tony took them to was huge, absolutely taller than anything Bucky expected to see in the middle of nowhere, Upstate, New York. What the hell did Tony have _hidden _in there? Well, the secret weapon, sure, but Bucky couldn’t even begin to imagine…

Tony landed the jet on the lawn outside and strode directly towards the odd skyscraper, flinging open a set of double doors. Bucky and Clint exchanged looks and hurried after him. They stopped short as soon as they cleared the doorway and their eyes adjusted.

The building was… well, it was tall, but it was more like a warehouse than a skyscraper on the inside, with a ceiling that Bucky couldn’t even see. Something monstrous sat in the center, surrounded by scaffolding and cranes. It was hooked up to a bank of computers and even as they watched, the machine – the _robot _(and oh how Bucky’s sci – fi loving heart nearly stopped at that very idea) – was coming to life. An electric, white blue glow – much like Tony’s Arc Reactor – was emanating from its chest (just like Tony) and filling up it’s eyes, before flooding outward in a series of lines like a circuit board.

Well, that only made sense, Bucky thought.

“All right boys, this is a Jaeger.” Tony patted the giant robots’ leg proudly.

“What the hell, Tony,” Clint breathed. Bucky just stared.

“Okay, so crash course. This is a giant robot. Works only with humans as interface so, no Ultron repeats. I…” Tony paused and shrugged. “_try _to learn from my mistakes.” Walking around, he started flipping switches and one of those holographic interfaces popped up. “Anyway, requires two to pilot her, and the two piloting have to be in synch. So, that’s you two. Each of you operates ‘a side’, so to speak. You’ll get a feel for it as you go through the warm up procedures.”

Tony pointed at a locker. “You need those to pilot her, so get changed.” Then he went back to his floating consoles and dismissed them as he slowly brought the giant robot to life.

Giant. Robot.

What even was the future? Bucky thought. This… was fucking amazing. The reason behind it not so much, but fucking. Amazing.

“Whoa,” Clint said from beside him. “How fucking cool is _that?”_

“Suits. Now. Admire later,” Tony called.

Bucky exchanged a grin with Clint and strode for the lockers. Feeling absolutely no shame or modesty – being a soldier, then an asset, and now an Avenger with a penchant for hanging out with the least modest Avenger ever might have had a hand in that – Bucky quickly stripped and changed, pretending not to notice Clint’s lingering eyes or the near perpetual look of longing that came from Clint’s direction.

That was also par for course. Bucky had been basking in it for some time. Feeling desired, even after everything he’d gone through, all the changes forced upon him, had felt good, but he hadn’t felt ready yet to take the plunge.

But the day was getting closer when he wouldn’t be able to resist Clint’s adorable smirks.

Bucky had no idea what this drift compatibility was – maybe after the emergency was over, he could (attempt to) pick Tony’s brains – but he wasn’t surprised that he and Clint were in sync, because just about everything (even their differences) seemed to flow together so easily.

Steve may have brought him back from the ledge, brought him in from the cold, but it had been Clint who’d showed him how to deal, how to _live _again.

And that was something.

They finished changing and turned to find Tony standing behind them. “Right this way, gentleman.”

Following Tony, they moved over to the scaffolding – sturdier than the shit Bucky usually saw – and took an elevator to the top. Jesus, this thing was fucking huge. When the doors opened, Tony led the way inside the head of the robot and walked them through the controls, how they worked and how to link themselves in.

“All right, I’m gonna close her up now and run the warmup,” Tony said, a pleased look on his face. He turned, striding away, hopping into the elevator and leaving Bucky and Clint alone in their harnesses.

“Hey, Tony, this thing got a name?” Clint abruptly called out. the com cackled to life.

“Not yet, figured I’d let the first pilots name her.”

Clint’s eyes widened as he chortled, exchanging a mischievous grin with Bucky. Bucky shook his head at the childlike glee Clint was taking in this. He wasn’t alone though, Bucky had to concede. This was just the kind of over the top science like all those pulp novels he used to devour when he could get his hands on them. Clint’s mouth opened –

“But I reserve the right to veto anything too stupid, so think carefully, Barton. Now, let’s start the warmup sequences.”

Possible names ran through Bucky’s head even as he and Clint got a feel for the Jaeger. Tony continued to call it a her as Bucky took the left side and Clint took the right, the scaffolding falling away flawlessly, folding up the way Tony’s suit did these days (cause of course it did) and giving them room to run test movements.

After a few moments, Tony proclaimed them proficient, climbing into his own suit (or, rather, his own suit wrapping around him and growing over him). With Iron Man as an honor guard, Bucky and Clint launched into the sky through the roof of the building she’d been housed in and made their way to the coast.

How something this large could fly through the sky, Bucky had no fucking clue, but then, Tony was a genius. At least it was flying, unlike Howards demo car way back when.

As they got into range, their comms synced up with the rest of the Avengers, the chatter comfortable in their ears.

“Remember, she’s a prototype, so try to bring her back in one piece,” Tony said, before diving in towards the fight.

“No promises,” Clint said as he and Bucky followed after, heading straight for the monster that had come right up out of the Atlantic.

They heard the change in the chatter as they approached, the various Avengers catching sight of the Jaeger.

“What the hell _is _that?” Sam asked.

“Giant robot! How _cool_ is that?” Scott called out.

“Stark,” Steve said, his voice was filled with warning.

“What is the name of our fine new compatriot?” Thor asked.

Bucky grinned and somehow, _felt _Clint do the same beside him without even looking. Together, as they leapt towards the giant monster, a sword – of all things – in their hands, they answered, “Helm.”

**Author's Note:**

> the Jaeger's name "Helm" is taken from the name of the actress who played the first 'on screen' robot from a 1927 German Film called [ Metropolis. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_\(1927_film\)) I figured, Bucky being a scif bi buff AND having lived during that era, that it would be fitting. of course, it was hard finding a name OUT of that to use.
> 
> Maria/Hel aren't exactly workable to me because of Avenger connotations. i think Thor wouldn't be happy with Hel, and the rest would find it weird to call it Maria when they work with Maria Hill so often lol... the other name option was Maschinenmensch - german for robot (literally machine person) which is what first came up when i searched for the name of the robot and that felt like way too much of a mouthful.
> 
> [Rebloggable Tumblr Post ](https://pherryt.tumblr.com/post/188542266041/writing-on-the-wall-marvel-ship-winterhawk)
> 
> Anyway, so i first watched this film in college during our Visual Communications class. We watched a re-released version with an updated rock style soundtrack. But we never finished the film, so i had to hunt down a teacher who had it. They had the original version with soundtrack - or at least an EARLIER version (there've been like, 17 of them i guess?) and let me tell you, if you don't think music changes the tone of a movie, it absolutely does. 
> 
> Wow. just. Wow.


End file.
